What could have been....

As many of you know, I was anxiously awaiting an announcement that Josh Thornton would transfer to open up room for Scottie Reynolds in blue & gray. Well, Thornton did eventually tranfer, but not until Reynolds committed to Jay Wright's Villanova program. Now, we have two open scholarships and a guard we really could have used was turned away. In any event, Scottie also shared his disappointment with how this turned out with the Washington Times. (BTW: We now have confirmation that Egerson did not leave for academic reasons. Rather, he is now a father and wanted to be in Delaware with mother and child. Best of luck to him.)

Reynolds shining for new family

Many expected that start to come at Georgetown. Reynolds' AAU teammate and "super-close friend" Vernon Macklin had committed to Georgetown, and the Hoyas had one area of weakness -- its thin backcourt -- an otherwise loaded squad. There was just one problem: Georgetown didn't have a scholarship available. John Thompson III and his staff already had promised places to high school juniors Austin Freeman (DeMatha) and Chris Wright (St. John's). And Josh Thornton and Marc Egerson, two players who left Georgetown this season, were still taking up slots. So Thompson and the Hoyas told a McDonald's All-American at a needed position there was no room. "It just didn't work out," said Reynolds, a grimace returning to his face. "I wouldn't sit here and say that I cried that I couldn't go there, but it was a little tough to swallow at first. Situations happen where things don't work out the way you want, and you've just got to live with it. Coach Thompson told me it wasn't because I wasn't good enough. The timing just wasn't right. They were out of spots. It would have been a good situation if it had worked out because I've played with Vernon and Chris [Wright] and against Jeremiah [Rivers], so I knew all those guys."

http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20070216-010137-4266r_page2.htm

SI.Com's Power Rankings

The Hoyas have burst into Luke Winn's Power Rankings as the number 9 team in the land. As some may remember, Mr. Winn was fairly high on the Hoyas at the beginning of the season. He even came down to DC to watch them play, believing they were the cream of the Big East crop. Unfortunately, the game he came to see was the fiasco against ODU at McDonough.

Luke is impressed by how far the Hoyas have come.

Georgetown Hoyas (19-5)
Wow. This is really not the same Hoyas team I saw lose to Old Dominion at home in November. Not even close. West Virginia coach John Beilein, considered the college game's top tactician, called Georgetown's 71-53 win over his team "a clinic." "I can't wait to watch the film and learn what they're doing, because they're terrific," Beilein told the Washington Times. During their eight-game Big East winning streak the Hoyas' offense has become a well-oiled machine, surging to No. 1 in the nation in Ken Pomeroy's efficiency rankings. Their top six players in minutes all have personal efficiency ratings of 110 or higher (including Roy Hibbert's absurd 131.1), and as a team they're scoring 1.267 points per possession. Next three: 2/17 at Villanova, 2/21 at Cincinnati, 2/24 vs. Pittsburgh.

...Or Have You Any Money To Bet...

The Van Buren Boys do not condone betting on the Hoyas. We are here for the pure love of the Blue and Gray. We rarely even look at the line. We never place a wager. But...


For those of you who are interested in the financial side of things, this article is very interesting. Its basic premise is that you could have made a lot of money on the Hoyas during their recent eight game run. Even though the bookmakers have started to give Georgetown some love, it hasn't been enough. They have covered the spread in every single game in their winning streak with the exception of Cincinnati--and that was a push.

All discussion of betting aside, you have to love the way the betting enthusiasts describe the Hoyas' recent performance.

Is it too late to hop on the Georgetown betting train?
By Josh Hansen

As a set of nasty winter storms battered the eastern seaboard this past week, another powerful force was quietly gaining strength a little farther south in Washington D.C.

Those who saw it were lucky. Others have only recently been swept up by the Georgetown Hoyas and their massive tear through the Big East like a tornado through a trailer park.

Except the Big East conference is no trailer park. It’s the mecca of college basketball.

More Love For The Hoyas

Loyal reader J.B.W. forwarded me a couple of more articles showering accolades upon our Hoyas.

What ESPN.com's Jonah Keri Learned From Rivalry Week

The heirs to Patrick, Dikembe and Zo. That would be Georgetown's nasty frontcourt duo of Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green. After a sluggish start to the season, when Georgetown was searching to replace last year's starting guards, the Hoyas have become experts at running John Thompson III's modified Princeton offense. So much so that Georgetown tops all other D-I teams in Ken Pomeroy's adjusted offensive efficiency rating. The Hoyas crushed No. 12 Marquette by 18 on Saturday in a game that looked like a possible trap. Marquette's dynamic three-guard attack figured to give the bigger Hoyas fits; instead, Georgetown made the Eagles adjust, feeding Hibbert and Green repeatedly and squeezing 47 points out of the twin towers. The Hoyas have no depth, and guard play often rules in March -- but teams aren't going to want their heads dunked on either. There's sure to be some intrigue in D.C.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=keri/070212

KenPom Really Loves G-Town

I’m actually pretty convinced that people will understand the greatness of the Hoya offense at some point. Perhaps because we have Jonah Keri already on the case. And I believe Roy Hibbert will eventually get his due. For fun, compare his tempo-free line to that of one Greg Oden.
I actually figured the G-Men for having some offensive troubles against WVU, what with the Mountaineers ability to force turnovers and that being the best chance a team has against Georgetown. Force lots and lots of turnovers. Their only three games below 1 PPP, their TO% was north of 25.
The Mountaineers didn’t do bad, benefiting from 16 in a 57 possession game, but it didn’t matter. Georgetown obliterated the point per possession barrier for the ninth consecutive game by hanging 71 on the Mounties, in part by outrebounding WVU 12-9 on its own end. That and shooting 80+ eFG% in the first half. But these kinds of things are becoming routine.
The 24th will be a great test, but whether or not they run the table (and they almost surely won’t) this team is certainly worthy of Final Four consideration.

http://kenpom.com/blog/index.php/weblog/gray_matter/

Hoyas are Media Darlings

The recent winning streak has led to a number of lauditory articles on John Thompson III and the Hoyas. Although this press is warranted and enjoyable, there is still a long way to go before anyone can consider this season a success. I first want Nova's scalp and then there is the matter of Pitt ... and Cuse .... and UConnvict. The boys still have some work to do. But here are the articles.

Princeton Offense, NBA Talent

When people talk about the Princeton offense, they're usually referring to the style of attack run by Pete Carril and Bill Carmody for many years at that school. The Tigers knew they couldn't attract the kind of highflying stars common at basketball factories like North Carolina and Kentucky. Instead, Carril devised a precision motion offense, one that encourages constant cutting and screening, backdoor passes, and even big men taking open three-pointers. Schools such as Air Force have used talent that's a half-notch better and parlayed a variant of the Princeton offense into major success. But the Hoyas have taken the next step. A high-profile basketball program playing in the elite Big East conference, Georgetown has implemented the Princeton offense, using an array of talented players, some of whom will surely play, maybe even star, in the NBA. And while other schools have tweaked the Princeton offense to include their own wrinkles, the Hoyas have stayed true to the original formula. That's no surprise given that their coach, John Thompson III, succeeded Carril and Carmody as the Tigers' head man before coming to D.C. to carry on his father's legacy.

http://www.nysun.com/article/48682?page_no=1

At 100, Georgetown Looking Strong Thanks to JTIII

More discouraging to followers of the program, the University itself did not appear to care about the slow demise of a team that had long been part of the University’s identity. Then-Athletic Director Joe Lang issued a statement defending Esherick, saying that it was an unreasonable expectation that the team make the NCAA Tournament every year. The outcry from alumni and fans alike was audible. And despite Lang and Esherick’s defiance, as the 2003-04 season ended, the changes began. The Hoyas dropped their final nine games, even losing to a St. John’s team that had suspended six scholarship players for the season after a scandal with a prostitute, and an embattled Esherick was finally fired. When the coaching search began, it was only natural that John Thompson III’s name was included among the candidates. At the time, however, he did not enjoy the almost universal approval from the Hoya fan base he does today. On the popular Hoya Talk online bulletin board at Hoyasaxa.com, posters called for Fran Dunphy, Johnny Dawkins or another Duke Assistant du Jour. Some suggested it was best to break from the past and begin a new tradition, feeling that continuing with another member of the Thompson family would mean clinging to the same, tired standard that had led the program to its current state. The doubts lessened over the course of JTIII’s first year, as he guided Georgetown to a win at Pittsburgh in his Big East debut and later claimed a last-second win over Notre Dame (close games had been the Hoyas’ bane during the Esherick days). All of the doubts were silenced on Jan. 21, 2006 — the day Georgetown beat No. 1 Duke 87-84 in front of a sold-out Verizon Center. The proverbial electricity displayed by fans at that game could have powered Manhattan — for a decade. The best example of that emotion came as time expired and the gray-clad fans swept onto the floor. Even Ted Leonsis, as in Washington Capitals owner / AOL mogul Ted Leonsis, sprung from his courtside seat and into the celebration, nearly mauling a wheel-chair bound Hoya fan in the process.

http://www.fcnp.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=855&Itemid=37

KenPom Loves the Hoyas

KenPom's offensive ratings are therefore based on shooting percentages, turnovers, rebounds and free throws. And, as noted above, this year's Georgetown team has the best offensive rating since he began keeping track. The previous best? The 2005 North Carolina national championship team. "Georgetown is screwed by the fact that they play at such a slow pace, so no one really appreciates what they do offensively," he told me. "They don't score as much as North Carolina, they can't, because they have 20 possessions less than North Carolina. When people look at offensive effectiveness, they look at how many points you score a game. Carolina scores 88 [2nd in the country], Georgetown scores 69 [160th]. Even now, now that the Hoyas are rolling, people get sucked in and think they're a defensive team, but considering the number of possessions they get, their offense is incredible.... "I think [people] misunderstand the team, let's put it that way. I mean, if you see them play, you understand that their offense is pretty awesome, but people that don't see them play game in and game out, they think they're like Princeton or Northwestern, they get them confused with an ordinary low-scoring team. Obviously that's not the case. Their offense is unstoppable."

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/

John Beilein on Georgetown

We all know that the Hoyas destroyed West Virginia last night. The game was no where near as close as the 18-point difference in scores. There was some bad blood during the game between the fans and Mountaineer's coach, John Beilein. Following a hard foul on J-Wall, Pat Ewing bumped into the offending WVA player. That sent Beilein onto the floor to grab Ewing. I have to admit that I was one of the fans screaming for Beilein's objection. Coaches should never touch an opposing player. Ever. But after seeing the replay of Pat's brazen and low-class move, I can understand Beilein's anger.

Still, it is great to see that despite that incident Beilein had no problem praising Georgetown. After the game he said:

That was one impressive Georgetown team. It was a clinic. We tried hard, but we were certainly not on their level tonight.

And when discussing Georgetown's intense defense, which switched on every screen the Moutaineer's set, he stated:

I can't wait to watch the film and learn, because they're terrific.

That's pretty high accolades. In light of these comments, and Louisville coach Rick Pitino's comments, it would seem that praising the Hoyas is the thing to do if you you're a Big East coach.

Hell Hath Frozen Over

This actually came out before Georgetown's thumpin' of the Mountaineers last night, but I just caught it. Dick "Dukie" Vitale named Georgetown team of the week in his Weekly Awards.

TEAM OF THE WEEK: Georgetown

John Thompson III is doing a super job with the Hoyas. Georgetown won at Louisville (73-65) on the night the Cardinals named the court after legendary coach Danny Crum. Then the Hoyas blew out Marquette, 76-58. Watch out for this Georgetown team as the duo of Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green are dynamic.

When an ACC apologist like Vitale starts singing your praises you know that you must be playing some impressive basketball.

Colbert on Douglas Feith

Colbert's "The Word" last night was "inappropriate," the conclusion the Pentagon reached on Doug Feith's alleged manipulation of intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq war. Quote: "If you do something illegal, you can go to jail. If you do something 'inapporpriate' you can go teach at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University." This, of course, has been a very controversial appointment. But Feith is an alum and provides a good counterbalance to the generally left-leaning facutly. I think his appointment makes sense, but I'm not sure press like this is a good thing.

http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_colbert_report/index.jhtml

Week 15 Rankings

The Hoyas are 14 and 16 in the AP Coaches and ESPN/USA Today polls, respective.

Tonight's opponents, the Moutaineers, are ranked 23 and 22.

100 Year Banquet

I thought our readers might enjoy some of the details about the 100 year celebration that have been posted on various message boards. This write-up I particularly enjoyed:

Paul Tagliabue received an award for leadership that almost brought the former NFL commissioner to tears. The former Hoya team captain started off a general theme for the evening. He used a famous quote from former U.S. President John F. Kennedy by telling us not to ask what can Georgetown do for us alumni, but to ask what can we do for Georgetown. He complimented GU President Jack DeGioia and former coach John Thompson, the "Father" on their great vision and leadership. President DeGioia would then make a memorable speech about the history and the future of Georgetown basketball. Next, President DeGioia would surprise the crowd and induct Patrick Ewing, the Hoya Player of the Century, into the Georgetown Athletic Hall of Fame. Patrick is the first men's basketball player to be inducted since Eric "Sleepy" Floyd. Patrick could not be inducted a year ago since his NBA coaching schedule made it impossible for him to come to the induction ceremony. Patrick was very emotional, thanking coach John Thompson, "the Father," for supporting him and helping him through all of the media attention when he entered college as a shy freshman many years ago. As a member of Generation Ewing it was truly an event to see Patrick's induction.
. . . .

The elder Thompson gave a truly inspiring talk. As those of us who have attended many men's basketball banquets know, he can speak well into the evening. He came straight to the point this evening. He told his family how much he loved them. He thanked everyone who worked with him at Georgetown over the years, especially Frank Rienzo, and former GU President Tim Healey, "the Big Irishman." He told his former players how he loved them as part of his family also. The coach joked about how he had been abusive to his players when they played for him. He asked them to understand that he was only doing what he thought was necessary to bring out the best in them as student-athletes. Coach Thompson has always been proud of the accomplishments of his former players not for basketball, but for what they had done for society and their communities: truly the mission of a Jesuit education. He continued the theme of the commissioner in telling his players that his one regret was that he never emphasized enough that they all needed to give back to Georgetown. There was passion in his voice as he stated that for those that could not give financially, they could also give time or service depending on their situation. He set the tone for the future saying that the University should serve as a power base for them. As they would give and help strengthen the University it would pay dividends back to them many times. Indeed he was proud of the education that they had received. He thanked President DeGioia for his friendship, and thanked former President Tim Healey, who is no longer with us, for "having his back"over time. He reminisced about calling former drug lord Rayful Edmond III into his office to tell him to stay away from his players. . . . He finished imploring the crowd that we needed to build an arena and improve our athletic facilities soon. He mentioned that we could not continue much longer in the prehistoric McDonough Arena. Moreover, he did not want his son to struggle with the same facility that he did for all of those years. It is truly an issue that our University must address.

http://guhoyas.cstv.com/genrel/021207aaf.html

A Good Head On His Shoulders

The New York Times's report on the game between Georgetown and Marquette contains an interesting nugget about Roy Hibbert. Unable to sleep on Friday night, Hibbert did what every die-hard Hoya should do...he watched a replay on a Hoyas's game from the mid-80s.

Hoyas center Roy Hibbert said he was nervous Friday night, because he did not want to disappoint the alumni at the Verizon Center on Saturday. Hibbert, unable to sleep, watched a replay of a 1985 game between Georgetown and St. John’s at Madison Square Garden.

“I look back at those games like, Wow, I get to put on a jersey and play and represent Georgetown,” Hibbert said.

Hibbert, a 7-foot-2 junior, said he did not fall asleep until nearly 4 a.m., but he was not sluggish against the Golden Eagles, finishing with 23 points and 11 rebounds.

Now, that's a player who loves the program!


P.S. - IBP, inquiring minds are still waiting for the recap of your exclusive interview.

WVU

Any predictions/prognostications?

This game has made me nervous all year, considering how well WVU's teams are coached. Of course, so are we.

The short turn-around following Sat's thriller has made me anxious all year, but then I realized WVU also played on Sat. against UCLA. So the effect of the rapid turn-around impacts both teams.

I say Georgetown in a sqeaker, 67-64.

Hoyas...In...Spaaaaaace!

Well, maybe there won't be any Hoyas in space, but at least a Georgetown flag will be making the trip.

Apparently recognizing the need for some good PR, NASA is sending the space shuttle crew that will conduct the final mission on the Hubble Space Telescope to the Hoyas' home game against West Virginia next week. The astronauts will be recognized in a halftime cerememony where they will be presented with a Georgetown flag that they will take with them into outer space.

Good stuff. Read the entire article at the Hoyas' Official Site.

The Hoyas' Bandwagon Is Buidling Some Momentum

Each week the experts at ESPN.com put together their college basketball power rankings. These rankings list the 16 most powerful teams in the land. This week Georgetown crashes into this elite company as one of the four No. 4 seeds.

Georgetown

17-5

Quiet waltz through the soft part of the Big East schedule is masking the improvement in the Hoyas' play. Roy Hibbert's had two very big double-doubles in the last three outings. Hosting Marquette Saturday should turn up the volume.

I guess not every one is so high on the Hoyas, though. The lead piece on ESPN.com today is a pair of stories by Pat Forde and Andy Katz. Both writers participated in a one day mock that followed the exact process used by the selection committee when picking teams to participate in The Big Dance. By this process the Hoyas only ended up as a 10 seed. Now, to be fair, Katz explains that they crammed a three-day process into a single marathon determination. As a result they spent much more time considering who would make the cut and less time considering actual seeding. However, Forde's account leads me to believe that these mock selectors were not easily sold on even including Georgetown in this collection of 65 teams.

The process is every bit as fun and fascinating as I'd imagined -- and much more mentally fatiguing. By the 11th appraisal of Clemson, Alabama, Notre Dame and Georgetown, this was starting to feel like the "Clockwork Orange" scene when they pry open Malcolm McDowell's eyelids. And we hadn't even gotten to the seeding process or decided who was playing where.

KenPom on the Hoyas

Ken Pomeroy is one the Hoyas' biggest fans. His program ranks the Hoyas #10 in the country and #1 in offensive efficiency. He had some kind words for the blue & gray this morning:

Comings and Goings in the Tempo-Free World

There’s a perfect storm brewing in the tempo-free world. UNC, one of the 10 fastest teams in the land may well have the best defense in the game, and Georgetown one of the 10 slowest, might have the best offense in the country. I’ve talked about the Tar Heels enough, but how about Georgetown? They provide a deadly combination of shooting (ranking 3rd) and offensive rebounding (10th). It’s Princeton on steroids. Georgetown’s offensive rebounding won’t get the pub it deserves (except for the Friday a while back where they outrebounded Seton Hall 17-7 on the Hoyas’ offensive end.) because they don’t miss many shots and don’t take as many as most teams. Offensive rebounding opportunities are probably rarer for Georgetown than any other team in the land, but they are a significant factor in their success. They can turn the ball over regularly (and do!) and still pummel opponents with points.

http://www.kenpom.com/blog/

You'll recall that Ken has also been singing Roy's praises all year--calling him the best defensive center in college basketball in an ESPN.com article.

Jeff & Roy Slam Pitino's Birds

Somewhere a Kentucky Colonel is smiling. Jeff and Roy were huge as the Hoyas dominated L-ville. The score, I think, really does not communicate how well Georgetown played. Louisville played well, as they only turned the ball over one and shot well from outside. But inside, Jeff and Roy completed dominated. Also showing me something were Jessie Sapp, who shot well from the outside and drove the lane well, and Summers, whose threes down the stretch finished off Louisville. Great all around effort by the guys, with the noted exception of Pat Ewing in the vesper half. He needs to stay under control. Also, Rivers--once again--looked totally overmatched. But he did not turn the ball over too much. He just is a non-threat on offense.

Hoyas Keep Their Cool in Louisville

"We could play them 10 times and they'd win nine," said Pitino, whose team shot 33.3 percent and committed just one turnover. "We had to play almost a perfect game to beat them. . . . Their big guys being 16 for 20, they're almost impossible to stop because of their size. We did some good things, but we just could not defend them."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/07/AR2007020702237.html

Hoyas' big men turn in big job

"To be perfectly honest, they were a much better basketball team than us," Pitino said. "We could play them 10 times, and they'd probably win nine. That's a very, very good team. The rankings are a little skewed. There are not 20 teams in the country better than Georgetown. They are a top seven or eight team in the country, no question."

http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20070208-123930-1830r.htm

Bonus Video

Hoyas Can Do It All



Big Roy Can Dunk

Georgetown Hoyas Crack the Top 25

The ESPN/USA Today poll for the week of February 5th just came out. After a long absence, the Hoyas return to the Top 25 as the No. 23 team in the land.

UPDATE: The AP poll is out. The Hoyas are No. 22 there.

A Lot of Love From Jay Bilas

In today's edition of ESPN.com's "The Weekly Watch" Jay Bilas gives the Hoyas a lot of love. In short, he says Georgetown has a shot at making a run at the national championship. I don't know if I agree with Jay, but I would sure love to.

At this time last year, was anyone touting Florida as a national championship favorite? The Gators were ranked 11th when the tournament began, and all of the things we are currently saying about Kansas and some of the other teams out there, we were saying about Florida: inconsistent, inexperienced, no go-to guy, and all the rest.

UConn was the best team last year, but didn't win. This year, the best teams are Florida and North Carolina, and one of them may not win, either. One of the teams that could find its way to Atlanta, and is quietly getting better, is Georgetown. The Hoyas have improved steadily over the course of the season and have the chops to be really tough in March.

Before I decide if the Hoyas can make a deep run in the Tournament, I first want to see how they repond against some of the more talented teams in the Big East. This week's games should give us a good opportunity to gain some perspective on how good the Hoyas really are.

DA...JUAN

The Rivers-haters with the seats behind me have been trying to promote a new cheer at the games. Any times DaJuan Summers does anything they begin chanting: "DA...JUAN...DA...JUAN...DA...JUAN...." It hasn't caught on yet, but I think it will. Though I can't condone these fan's use of racial epithets, profanity, or nasally-sounding voices, I do agree with their accolades for Summers. He has been fantastic thus far. And we aren't the only ones to think so.

In Seth Davis's "Hoops Thoughts" column on SI.com he offers this thought:

If Georgetown could get 6-8 freshman forward DaJuan Summers to have an impact
every game, the Hoyas could take a major step forward. He may be the best pure
scorer they have.

I think Seth may be right. I said early on this season that DaJuan will be the best player on the team next year. With my regrest to our trio of outstanding juniors, I'm standing by my prediction.

An Interesting Game for the Hoyas

I have to say, I was worried. With about 4 minutes left in the first half of last-night's contest against St. John's the Hoyas looked horrible. We were lethargic, we were sloppy, we were down by seven. If not for Jeff Green scoring 11 of our first 19 points it wouldn't have been that close. Then our guys started playing. Summers hit a three, Jeff made two free throws, and Wallace and Sapp each hit threes to close the half on an 11-2 run.

In the second half we were a completely different team. We shot over 70 percent. We locked down on defense. We turned that 11-2 run into a 30-4 run. The Johnnies basically gave up, and it ended as a blow out.

But the story of the game was Jeff. He finally played agressive and he finally looked good. I guess he must have felt some pressure after Roy had a career night against Cincinnati. So he went out and did the same. Jeff had a career high 24 points. But in true Jeff Green fashion he really did everything. A quick glance at the stats for the game leaders in last night's contest tells the whole story:

	Georgetown	St. John's
Points	J. Green 24	A. Patterson 16
Rebounds	J. Green 8	A. Patterson 8
Assists	J. Green 4	A. Mason Jr. 4
Steals	J. Green 2	E. Lawrence 3
Blocks	R. Hibberts 3	A. Mason Jr. 1

On to Lousiville. This game will be our biggest challenge in quite awhile. The Cardinals are one of the hottest teams in the conference and are tied with the Hoyas for second place in the Big East. If we plan on making any real noise this season it starts with going into Lousiville and stealing one from them at home.

Ewing Jr. at MSG

In anticipation of tonight's showdown at the Garden, the Times has a piece on the Ewings Jr. & Sr. Jr. has been great this year; hopefully he keeps it up against the Johnies.

Ewing Jr. Follows Dad’s Path to Garden

He said his father never pressured him to play basketball and stressed education over sports. “He probably would have rather me not play,” Ewing Jr. said. “But watching him play, I couldn’t help but want to be just like him, good as he was.” When Patrick Ewing was finishing his N.B.A. career with Orlando in 2001-2, his son visited him on an off-day, and they played one-on-one, as they often had before. “I tried to get serious, and I ended up winning a game,” Ewing Jr. said. That was a first. “And we played another game after that,” he added. “I missed my first shot and never got the ball back. He beat me, 11-0. And then he told me, ‘That will be the first and only time you will ever beat me.’ And he won’t play me any more.” Patrick Ewing confirmed the story Saturday at the Verizon Center, where he watched from a courtside seat. “Yeah,” he said, smiling. “Once was enough.”
. . . .

Later, the intergenerational interaction continued when Thompson’s father, John Jr., spotted the younger Ewing in a dress suit in the hallway outside the locker room. The elder Thompson put his arm around the younger Ewing, pulled him toward him and put his mouth near his ear. As he spoke softly and intently, slight smiles grew on both men’s faces. Those standing nearby seemed to edge backward, away from them, in small steps. Although it was a crowded and public place, this chat seemed private, intimate and personal, like family.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/01/sports/ncaabasketball/01ewing.html?_r=2&ref=sports&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Jordan AA Team Announced

Nike has announced the 2007 Jordan All-Americans. Both Wright and Freeman made the team, which bodes well for the McD's AA game. It will be great to see how they match up against the likes of Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, OJ Mayo, and Jerryd Bayless (great first name). Mike Beasley is also invited, but I thought he was already playing at K-State for Thuggins. Wierd. Even stranger, Jeffery Jordan, his Airness's son, is on the team. This level of nepotism is a little embarassing as Jordan is not even a major D1 recruit. Last I heard, he was considering Davidson.

http://www.nike.com/jumpman23/classic/event.html

Tributes to Father Drinan

There have been a number of tributes to Father Drinan published. I thought this one from a former Post columnist was quite good:

Father Drinan, Model Of Moral Tenacity

After my Tuesday afternoon class, I would often go by Bob Drinan's fourth-floor office to get energized. I saw him as a towering moral giant, a man of faith whose practice of Christianity put him in the company of all my Jesuit heroes--Daniel Berrigan, Horace McKenna, Teilhard de Chardin, John Dear, Francis Xavier, the martyred Jesuits of El Salvador and the priests who taught me in college. In his office, ferociously unkempt and as tight as a monk's cell, our conversation ranged from politics to law to the morning's front pages. He was as knowledgeable about the Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991 as he was about the many allegations of international lawbreaking by the current Bush administration. Bob Drinan had mastered the art of being professionally angry but personally gentle.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/29/AR2007012902015.html

I also enjoyed the many remembrances posted on the Georgetown Law website. In particular, I thought these from Professors Lubin, Cashin and Mezey, were touching.

My own favorite recollections of Bob Drinan come from my first years at Georgetown. My whole family came to the Law Center the day of my professorial inauguration, including my two children, ages 12 and 9, who sat through several hours of events that bored them silly. At lunch, Bob sat down next to Rachel, the squirmy nine-year-old, charmed her, and then occupied her for half an hour of deeply competitive tic-tac-toe. Needless to say, he earned her parents' heartfelt gratitude. A year later, when Rachel visited me at work, Bob invited her into his office and had a serious talk with her about politics and religion – then gave her an offprint of a law review article he had written on RFRA. Rachel (who had a keen sense of when adults were taking her seriously) was thrilled by the conversation and deeply proud that Bob had given her his article. For a couple of years afterward, Bob would stop me in the hallway and ask, with mock concern, "Are you still feeding Rachel enough?"
- Professor David Luban

I am distraught this morning, contemplating the loss not just of a great man but my next door neighbor at work. While I knew about the aspects of his life that made him an iconic figure for justice and human rights, I knew "Father Bob" mostly as the person who brightened my day when I came to work. I experienced first hand his pastoral care for ten years as we shared a wall at work. His door was always open, mine always partially closed. He never let me get away with that, always stepping in to see how I was, asking about my family, my father, husband, the book or article I was writing. My first year at GULC, he overheard me whining about being without a sweetheart yet again on Valentines Day, he produced a heartshaped box of chocolates for me, smiling devilishly he said, "Just don't tell the Pope." I will treasure his friendship the rest of my life, and try to emulate his goodness as best I can. More than anything I will remember that a few weeks before he died, he visited my newborn premature twins at the hospital, entreating God to watch over them, impressing the NICU nurses with my sons' good connections. He called me at home several times to be sure the family was doing well. A week before he died I came into the office, frenetic as usual. Little did I know that when Father Bob stepped in with his typical good cheer, gentle smile and query as to how I was, that this would be our last conversation. I am happy for him that he was able to live such a vital and giving life, on his terms, until God was ready to call him to rest. I will miss him terribly.
- Professor Sheryll Cashin

So many of us have stories about Father Drinan and our children. For a man without children of his own, he had an amazing and natural talent for talking with them, taking them seriously, remembering them. After my son Jake was born, along with the flood of cards and presents came a little note on Georgetown stationery from Father Drinan. All it said was, "I hope he is a liberal." For years afterward, every time he saw me in the hall, Father Drinan would boom, "I hope your son is still a liberal!" I always assured him that he still didn't have any choice. I had always intended to honor my son's own choices about political beliefs as he grew up, but now I don't think so. I owe it to Father Drinan. I owe him a lot as it turns out. Hearing his voice down the hall always made me happier. His passion for justice made me more hopeful. His integrity and kindness made me want to be a better person. But mostly I owe him gratitude for being with me and my family in the happiest and hardest times of our lives. Thankfully Father Drinan was as liberal with his blessings as he was with his politics. He blessed and welcomed my Jewish children when they were born, and he blessed and helped us say good-bye to my son Julien when he died. I loved his gentle presence, his feisty politics, his faith, his intellect, his humor and his enormous heart. I miss him terribly. Mostly I feel lucky that I got to share a little time and space on earth with him.
-Professor Naomi Mezey

http://www.law.georgetown.edu/news/drinan.html

Hibbs on NBADraft.net

A loyal reader of the blog tipped me off to this profile of Hibbert on NBADraft.net. It is generally pretty good, but it does contain one baffling error.

Roy Hibbert: Center of Attention

Roy Hibbert is a 7'2", 278 pound center on a pretty good Georgetown basketball team. Last season was Hibbert's coming out party, and now he's on a team with the sons of NBA stars Doc Rivers and Pat Ewing, which means even more ex-pros will be hanging around the Hoya program. That's saying a lot for a school where big men benefit from the Coach John Thompson tradition, in which trees such as Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutombo, Othella Harrington and Michael Sweetney come back and school the current pivots during the summer. Saturday, Hibbert scored 26 points on 11 for 13 shooting vs. Cincinnati, collecting 11 rebounds in the process. The game before, I went to the Verizon Center to watch the Hoyas face DePaul.
Hibbert works hard in the post and elsewhere- getting up and down the court, flashing high for passes, working for position, and challenging shots. Against the Blue Demons, he displayed an old-school hook shot, complete with the determined footwork and windup. While this shot was not effective, it demonstrates he's been working out with the NBA vets.

http://www.nbadraft.net/bayne005.asp

It there any doubt that Roy's hook shot is his best weapon? I can't recall the last time I saw him miss it. The writer goes on to refer to it as "an experiment." That's just sloppy reporting, especially after the Cinci game when Roy drained these at will. As further evidence, see the montage below.


And in other Roy news, the Big Man was named Big East player of the Week (and another factual error):

Hibbert averaged 19.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and shot 71.4 percent from the floor, while leading the Hoyas to a pair of league victories. The senior from Adelphi, Md. was 11-of-13 from the floor en route to a career-high 26 points in an 82-67 win over Cincinnati. He also pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. In a 66-52 victory over DePaul, Hibbert had 12 points and four boards. Hibbert leads the BIG EAST in field goal shooting, connecting at a 71.0 percent clip. In league games, he's even better, hitting 80.9 percent.

http://www.bigeast.org/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/012907aab.html

Gilbert, stick to what you know best

The Boston Herald is reporting that the following exchange occurred during the 3rd quarter of last night's Wizards-Celtics game:

Take a shot
Gilbert Arenas sidled over to Rivers in the third quarter and delivered a message.
“Hey, I watched your son,” Arenas said. “Tell him he’s got to shoot.”
The Wizards star was referring to Jeremiah Rivers, a freshman at Georgetown who, according to his dad as well, needs to put the ball up more. . . .

For those of you in need of further context, Arenas attended the Georgetown-DePaul matchup last week.


Now, anyone who has seen Rivers shoot this year can tell you that he needs to do a lot more shooting in practice before he even thinks about throwing up more outside jumpers during games.

Progress on the B-School

Georgetown is finishing up the excavation of the foundation for the new business school building. The $100 million facility will be a bold mixture of classical, stone and brick, and modern glass and steel. It will be completed by the fall 2008.













http://msb.georgetown.edu/newsroom/news/archive/2007/01/update_on_new_building/index.php



UPDATE: I wanted to add one more rendering of the new B-School, which shows some of the more modern elements of the design, as well as how the new building will provide greater access to the Leavey Esplanade. - Jester

Father Drinan Rest in Peace

Priest, scholar, congressman, professor, and alumnus Robert Drinan passed at the age of 86. He served 5 terms in Congress; was dean of Boston College's law school; and taught at Georgetown for over a quarter of a century. I wonder if Georgetown knew this might come when it founded the Drinan Chair in Human Rights last year.

http://www.law.georgetown.edu/news/releases/october.17.2006.html

Unfortunately, I never got to take a class from him. But I did get to speak with him on several occassions and he was a lovely person. I'm sure Georgetown will do something to honor him. This is a big loss for the community; following on the heels of Sam Dash passing away it feels like an era is ending.

http://explore.georgetown.edu/news/?ID=22251

Update: Georgetown has put up a website for students, alumni, friends and faculty to share their memories of Father Drinan. Nancy Pelosi also issued a statement honoring him. This also links to excellent pieces in the Post and Globe discussing his legacy.

http://www.law.georgetown.edu/news/drinan.html

Roy finally mans up.

I think we finally got a taste of what Roy can do. Granted, he was beasting against a much smaller team, but smaller, physical teams have given him problems in the past, see Villanova. There was also a marked improvement in our guard play -- they have clearly worked on getting Roy the ball in the post and were feeding him well. All in all, a good performance; but we need to work on perimeter defense -- Cinci was unconscious. That was the best shooting performance I've seen live since we played Duke last year.

I thought Jeff also played a great game. This was the first time this year that both he and Roy played that well. The best aspect of the game, though, was probably that the Hoyas only had 5 turnovers. This sets a school record. Our offense was incredibly efficient -- in the second half we went almost 15 minutes without failing to score on a possession.

On the downside, Summers was terrible, at least offensively. And, well, that's basically it. Pat Jr. was great again and Wallace and Sapp were solid. I even thought Rivers looked good; his shot is uglier than ugly though.)

Georgetown defrauded

According to a DOJ press release, former GU Professor Pedro dos Santos has defrauded the University of over $300,000.

Federal grand jury charges former Georgetown employee with defrauding the Universityand Riggs Bank, N.A., of more than $300,000

On July 19, 2006, a federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment against dos Santos also known as Pedro dos Santos, 39, of Hyattsville, Maryland, for defrauding his former employer, Georgetown University as well as Riggs Bank, N.A., of more than $310,000 over a period of four years. Specifically, the indictment charges the defendant with five counts of bank fraud, two counts of mail fraud, two counts of money laundering, and one count of first degree theft. The indictment also contains a forfeiture of property count. If convicted of the charges, dos Santos faces a statutory maximum of 30 years of imprisonment under the federal sentencing guidelines and a $1,000,000 fine.

According to the indictment, dos Santos had worked from 1998 until March 2005 at Georgetown University (“Georgetown”). In his most recent position as Georgetown’s Associate Director and Program Coordinator for the Political Database and Brazilian Studies Program, he became familiar with the paperwork and authorizations required for vendors to obtain compensation for their services.

The indictment alleges that between September 2001 to February 2005, dos Santos developed and engaged in a scheme by which he would write, sign and issue, or cause to be written, signed and issued, checks to a fictitious lecturer purportedly for consulting services. Dos Santos created invoices in the name of a fictitious vendor for consulting and guest lecturing services purportedly performed on behalf of the Brazilian Studies Program. To further justify fraudulent payments from Georgetown, dos Santos completed forged expense vouchers that he submitted together with the fake invoices to the Georgetown accounts payable department. After processing these invoices and vouchers, the accounts payable department issued checks as payment for services purportedly performed on behalf of Georgetown. These checks were either picked up by dos Santos from the accounts payable department or sent via U.S. mail to an address dos Santos had designated on the vouchers.

Pedro dos Santos gained control of the funds by depositing the Georgetown checks, which had been written on its federally-insured Riggs Bank account, directly into one or more of his personal bank accounts. Pedro dos Santos also attempted to disguise the illegal source of the stolen money by having one or more individuals deposit some of the checks in other bank accounts. This individual or individuals subsequently withdrew the funds and disbursed these funds to dos Santos in the form of cash or checks. During the course of the scheme from September 2001 to February 2005, dos Santos stole in excess of $310,000 of Georgetown funds that were under the custody or control of Riggs Bank.

http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/dc/Press_Releases/2006_Archives/Jul_2006/06271.html

The Washington Times reports that dos Santos has fled the country so with could become an extradition case.

Brazilian runs from U.S. theft charges

According to an FBI affidavit, dos Santos called a co-worker in March 2005 after he was confronted about irregularities in his handling of university funds. "I will be in Brazil by the time you get this message," the caller said. The FBI investigator found that dos Santos had been convicted in 1999 on a federal charge of unlawful re-entry after deportation, records show. Georgetown officials declined to comment on whether the conviction surfaced during dos Santos' employment screening. He worked at the university intermittently since 1998, records show. University spokeswoman Julie Green Bataille confirmed only that dos Santos no longer works at Georgetown. She declined to discuss the situation further because it was a "confidential personnel matter." Channing Phillips, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, said dos Santos is thought to be in Brazil and that the indictment against him remains outstanding. He said authorities could not comment further on efforts to bring dos Santos to trial in the United States because of Justice Department policy on extradition matters. It is not clear whether dos Santos can be returned to the U.S.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/metro/20070125-110728-9743r.htm

Anyone For Some Chicken?

I've been trying to wait for the perfect time to post this, but I just couldn't wait any longer. It's just too damn funny.

Hey Sweaty Gary, what's better than chicken and co-eds? That's right, nothing.

SAPP!

Great profile in the New York Post on Jessie Sapp.

HOYA AND HIGHER!

Back home in East Harlem, though, on the night before the Hoyas met Florida in the Sweet 16 in Minneapolis, Sapp's sister, Steveasia Perry, then 13, was shot in a playground, an innocent bystander to an unfathomable teen conflict near the Woodrow Wilson Houses. In the end, she was fortunate in an unfortunate situation. She suffered a fractured jaw and slowly began the recovery process, which, of course, included a call from a certain brother who eventually decided to stay with his teammates and play in the biggest game of his life.
"Once we knew everything was going to be OK," Sapp said, "I knew I had to go and be with my team."
.....

There's a comfort level aside from basketball, as well. In a 74-58 win over Seton Hall Friday at the Meadowlands, several family members, including Steveasia, watched Sapp go for 12 points, six rebounds and four assists. "Everything," he said slowly, "is good now."
On and off the court.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01262007/sports/hoya_and_higher__sports_tim_sullivan.htm

Good news

The Hoya has a few tidbits of good University news. GU appears to be approaching two benchmarks that we've waiting a decade and day to hit. First, there is an article about the number of applications breaking 16,000 for approximately 1,600 spots in the freshman class. If our yield is good, it is possible that we will finally dip below the 20% mark for acceptance rate for the first time. Again, it feels like we've waited a decade to do this; but, as the IPB pointed out, the student body has grown by almost 200 students per year since we were there. That has kept the rate steady in the 21-23% range.

Here is the breakdown:
College - 9,910 (+4%)
SFS - 3,045 (+6%)
MSB - 2,400+ (+?)
Nursing - 820 (+35%)

http://www.thehoya.com/news/012607/news1.cfm

The second big piece of news is that the endowment is approaching $1 billion. Again, I thought we'd hit that around 2000 so this is not exactly cause for celebration. But it is important. In June, the endowment was listed at $834 and now it is at $951. That is a pretty significant 6 month growth; and, while it is possible that a few big gifts came in, it is likely that this is fruit borne by hiring a chief investment officer. My fervent hope is that this will grease the giving wheels for the new campaign by instilling in alumni a sense that endowment gifts will not be pissed away as in the past. At the end of the day, assuming we are about to embark on a 10 year $2 or $2.5 billion campaign, at least 80% of the funds raised should be directed to the endowment. Far too much of the last campaign went to current use and building projects (something like 60% or 65%).

http://www.thehoya.com/news/012607/news3.cfm

Finally, the Hoya has a great profile of Dikembe Mutombo who was lauded in the SOTU address.

Mutombo Still Doing Big Things
Former Hoya Leads by Example

Mutombo has made a living playing tenacious defense and swatting shots, but when he came to Georgetown in 1987, basketball wasn’t even in his plans. Mutombo received a USAID scholarship to become a doctor so that he could return to his native Congo and help his people. The only sport Mutombo had played in his native land was soccer, but things changed quickly when Head Coach John Thompson Jr. spied Mutombo in a pick-up game.

“He said, ‘Son, I want you on my team.’ I said, ‘Man, this big man is going to be my coach,’” Mutombo recalls. “I was kind of scared of him in the beginning.”

......

Mutombo says his strong emphasis on community service was inspired by the Jesuit ideals that drew him to the Hilltop.

“To get the opportunity to get to be on the same campus as Jesuit teachers, it kind of helped me a lot,” Mutombo says. “It helped me go out and do what I do, helping those that don’t have what I have.”
Mutombo still follows his alma mater’s basketball team as well as one could expect from an in-season basketball player with two young children and a hospital opening in Africa. He has even challenged current Hoyas to off-season pick-up games.

While Mutombo denies having a favorite player on the team, he does admit that he may have a slight preference for “the young man that is wearing my uniform.” That young man, junior center Roy Hibbert, is developing quite the reputation for his shot-blocking abilities. Mutombo believes that Hibbert’s opportunity to develop for four years gives him the chance “maybe to be better than me.”

“His ability to block shots, I think that will make his name and be known and take it to the next level.,” Mutombo says.

Mutombo stays connected to the Georgetown community so that his children can one day follow in their father’s footsteps at Georgetown.

“I try to take them to the Georgetown campus every year,” he says.

A legend at Georgetown for reputedly exclaiming, “Who wants to sex Mutombo?” the big man has kept his sense of humor over the years, and his teammates appreciate his jokes almost as much as his rebounds.

http://www.thehoya.com/sports/012607/sports4.cfm

Number 17 Program in the Country

Scout.com has an intriguing article today ranking the best programs (not teams) in the country. I was able to find a non-subscription version of it on a Washington State website. Though the article admits it is an exercise in subjectivity, it is still interesting. The authors rank Georgetown as number 17 in the nation.

17. Georgetown. The Hoyas would be a program you might want to buy stock in. John Thompson III is doing a good job, they’re playing well and recruiting well, and Georgetown sits on one of the best recruiting beds in the nation.

Onward and upward.

Test

IBP, this is why we switched to the new blogger. I'm sorry that it's been inconvenient. But these type of improved capabilities are just the beginning.

The Return of Jeff Green

Maybe it was Davis Barker's Crisco comment in the Washington Times. Maybe it was the slew of NBA scouts in the crowd. Maybe it was the simple realization that enough is enough. Whatever the reason, Jeff Green had his best game of the season last night in the Hoyas's 14-point win over DePaul.



Realizing that we were seeing Jeff return to form, I excitedly Blackberried the IBP during the game. He replied that he thought Jeff was having an "okay" game. I think most people saw it differently. Jeff didn't single-handedly dominate the Blue Demons, but he did pretty much everything right. He was aggressive when he needed be, making strong moves to the basket and finishing with some authority. When he had an open shot from down town he took it. When a pass was the best option, that's what he did.

Barker Davis (the same Barker Davis who blasted Green in yesterday's Times) agreed. In an article today he notes:

The victory keeps the Hoyas (14-5, 4-2 Big East) among the league's leaders just behind Pittsburgh (18-3, 6-1) as Georgetown prepares for the softest back-to-back games of its conference slate vs. Cincinnati on Saturday and at St. John's on Feb. 1. Frankly, if Green plays the rest of the season like he did last night, the level of competition might not matter much....

It's not as if Green put on a one-on-five clinic against DePaul. He simply struck the perfect balance of demanding and deferring within coach John Thompson III's system. He routinely stepped to the fore late in the shot clock when his teammates needed a play and led the Hoyas in shot attempts. He almost never forced his game, committing only one turnover to set the tone for a Georgetown bunch that made a season-low seven miscues despite relentless fullcourt pressure from the Blue Demons.

For the rest of the article, click here.

Very Sad News From The Hoya

Local Liquor Store to Shut Its Doors
Students No Longer Whistling Dixie
By James HilsonHoya Staff Writer
Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Dixie Liquors on M Street, a popular supplier of alcohol among Georgetown students, will close its doors later this week after more than 50 years in business....

To read the sad news in its entirety click here.

Georgetown Recruiting

Another article on how JTIII is kicking Sweaty Gary's butt on the recruiting trail.

The Rise of Hoya Nation

As someone who watches up to three or four games a week, it’s not hard to notice the overwhelming presence of John Thompson III compared to Gary Williams. In fact, over the past two years I have seen Gary Williams once while the Thompson sightings cannot be counted on one hand. Williams was at the Gonzaga/O’Connell game a few weeks back but didn’t stay around for the entire game. Just to put it into perspective, I have seen Gary Williams as many times as I have seen Mike Krzyzewski. When March Madness begins in two months, it will also be the five-year anniversary of when the Terps defeated Indiana for the NCAA Championship. Lonnie Baxter, Juan Dixon, Steve Blake and Chris Wilcox are all long gone. Who will be the next big four to come through the area? It may just be Freeman, Wright, Braswell and Clark. Only time will tell.

http://www.dcsportsfan.com/default.aspx?ArticleID=1069

From Paris to the Hilltop?

The Hoyas are reportedly interested in 7'1 Frenchman Boubacar Sylla. He sounds like a project, although HoopScoop ranks him #58. This is what DraftExpress had to say:

Boubacar Sylla would be considered the sleeper of this group, but he is also the biggest at 7’1 and 260 lbs. He did a great job running the floor, and hit displayed a remarkably soft touch considering his size, evidenced on his 12 foot fade away jumper out of the post. His mammoth size and freakish wingspan immediately make him interesting as a prospect, even if he is still incredibly raw at the moment. The French big man has reportedly dropped nearly 75 pounds in the last year and a half, which is a testament to his work ethic and could give everyone a preview as to what is to come in terms of his development. He is reportedly considering USC, LSU, St. John’s, and Auburn at the moment, but he will likely have to sit a few years before we are able to see him contribute at that level.

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=1476

This raises some interesting schollarship questions. First, why are we going after him rather than the more polished Anthony McLain. Second, it has been reported that Omar Wattad would get the scholarship vacated by Marc; this puts that in doubt. Also, from a basketball standpoint, does this guy sound like he would work well in the Princeton offense? Roy handles the ball pretty well for his size but our offense runs much smoother when he is not on the floor--granted on defense he is vital. Finally, who is the last Parisian to suit up in blue & grey; have we ever had one? Can you imagine combining the IPB's love of 7-foot centers and Paris in one player? Heady stuff.

The Closer?

Barker Davis has an excellent piece in today's Washington Times about who the Hoyas should call upon as their closer. Davis explains that the Hoyas' 13 wins have all come by double digits and they are 0-4 in single digit games. Thus, Davis asks the legitimate question: In whose hands should the Hoyas put the ball at the end of the game when they are down by a possession or two. He interestingly decides that Jessie Sapp is Georgetown's best option.

Along the way, Davis makes one of the funniest comments I've read all year. When considering and eliminating Jeff Green as our "go to guy" he makes this remark:

Unfortunately, Green has a maddening passive streak and plays every third game or so like he's dipped his hands in Crisco.

I love Jeff, but it's damn funny.

Rumors, Rumors

Okay, so this is a little more than a rumor. A publication called "Sports Business Journal" is reporting that the Hoyas are receiving new architecural renderings of an on-campus practice facility. What this all entails is anybody's guess. Some are speculating that there will be something built separately from McDonough. My assumption is that McDonough will be raised. But what will everyone do while construction is ongoing? Interesting stuff. I wonder if JTIII got this in his new (again rumored) contract. It would certainly make sense for it to be part of the new capital campaign. Hopefully, this would also include an on-campus arena (see 2004 rendering below)--but it would make sense to bill it as a "practice facility" for community relations. And I think the best we could hope for would be 8 or 9k--so we would still play most of the Big East slate at Verizon.

Anyway, here is the link to the website. You can't read the article but the abstract says: "D.C. DIGS: Georgetown University in Washington has joined the rapidly expanding list of NCAA Division I schools developing practice facilities for their basketball programs, sources said. The new facility woul ..."

http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=search.perform_search&keyword=Georgetown

NJ Sweep

That was a nice win over a decent opponent. I think Seton Hall is much better than Rutgers and will win a few good games this year. Their guards are very quick and I was impressed at how they never really gave up. It forced us to leave our starters in for much of the game. Summers was clearly the star with his double-double but Wallace may have also played the best game of his carrer. Sapp looked great too and Hibbs rebounded well against a much much shorter team. He looks more agressive on defense but still had trouble on offense. I think that our guards just aren't good enough at feeding him. It looked to me like he was getting position pretty well but wasn't getting many touches. No real complaints beyond the obscene number of turnovers and the continuing disappearance of Jeff Green. At least he doesn't look like he will be ready to make the jump to the NBA any time soon..... Good effort by the Hoyas. Such a performance will likely be enough to top DePaul, Cinci, and St. John's before we get a tough one, but let's take one game at a time. DePaul beat Nova and Cinci beat West Virginia. There are no gimmes in the Big East....except for Rutgers. I know they actually have a decent football team but does any Big East school have a worse sports history than RU?! Just pathetic.

Evals of Austin and Chris

These are great write-ups from a recent All-Star game. (Also, click on the link and check out what he has to say about Hoya target Samardo Samuels. He is the #1 target for JTIII for the 2008 class.)

Austin Freeman, 6-4, Shooting Guard, Dematha Catholic – Freeman had a “quiet” 25 points in his matchup against the oft-out of control Antonio Jardine. While Jardine took control of the action for his team from tip-off, Freemen quietly picked his spots until the close of the game, where he began to be more aggressive. Freeman has a beautiful shot, its smooth and effortless. He is a much better shooter on the catch-and-shoot or spot up than he is on the pull up, but is effective on both. Freemen also has great strength for a 2 guard. He doesn’t get knocked off his stride easily by contact and is able to finish shots in the paint while in motion without losing his soft touch. Freeman seems to be pretty active on the glass as well. He followed his own misses on a number of occasions and was able to fight inside amongst taller players to secure the possession. Defensively, he’s got quick hands, but is more active when his opponent is in motion than he is playing him straight up. Freeman is a shooter for sure, but he recognizes when the shot is not there and has good peripheral vision to find the open man once he’s drawn defensive help. He and Chris Wright should make a nice tandem in Georgetown’s backcourt next season, especially with Roy Hibbert and Jeff Green inside.

Chris Wright, 6-1, PG/SG, St. Johns College – Wright had one of the best performances of anyone at the event. He shot well from outside, played smart basketball in transition and the half court, and set up teammates when he couldn’t finish himself. He's not a pure point by any means, but an excellent combo guard who showed good instincts for the game. Wright did do a lot of his scoring in transition, but it was his help defense that freed him up for many of those transition buckets. Wright has excellent body control and solid playing strength, which enables him to absorb contact and finish going strong toward the basket. His build is very similar to future teammate Austin Freeman as they are both compact players who shouldn’t have much difficulty adjusting to a more physical collegiate game. Wright has the court vision to play the point. He’s more of a scorer by nature but he doesn’t leave assists on the floor for the sake of his own shot like many other combo guards are prone to do. Wright shows instant recognition of who has the highest percentage shot and finds that man. Wright has very good athleticism for the collegiate level, he can elevate very nicely and finish with strength around the rim. When he absorbs contact he is still able to put a good touch on the ball and this helped him get to the line frequently for a few and-one’s. Wright is very smooth with his release and has good elevation on his jumper, which is important at his size. His dribble is tight and he uses it to create driving angles and pull-up shots nicely.

http://draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=1518

And, as an added bonus (is not not the most redundant euphemism?), here is video of Freeman and 2008 Hoya Chris Braswell. Enjoy.

http://www.hssmtv.com/Players/Austin%20Freeman.htm

http://www.hssmtv.com/Players/Chirs%20Braswell.htm

The Fatigue Factor

The Washington Post has a good piece today about how grueling the Hoyas' schedule is. The basic gist of the article is that it is hard to play two games in three days, and that doing that a lot is a real concern for coaches. It notes JTIII's belief that it was a factor in the loss to Villanova and that it compelled his decision to sit our key players in the Rutgers win.

"I wanted to see, once we got the lead, if we could get those guys a rest," Thompson said of his three leading scorers. "The one-day turnaround definitely hurt us the last time."

Indeed, Georgetown lost at home to Villanova on Jan. 8, just two days after handily beating then-No. 17 Notre Dame. Thompson later said that fatigue was a factor in the 56-52 loss to the Wildcats. But it is something the Hoyas will have to handle; they face more of these quick turnarounds than any other team in the Big East. On four occasions, they will play two games in three days -- something that Thompson was quick to notice when the league schedule was released.

This tidbit about GU having the most one-day turnarounds in the Big East is both interesting and troubling. Hopefully JTIII can figure away to avoid the problems associated with those short turn arounds.

What I learned last night....

(1) Recruiting gurus sometimes know what they are talking about. Summers and Macklin looked fantastic. Both will be studs by the end of this year/early next year.

(2) Rutgers does not deserve to be in the Big East. They are a mockery of a sham of a basketball team. Just awful.

(3) We tend to play to the level of our opponents. A performance like we had against Notre Dame would have yielded a 30 or 40 point victory.

(4) Jeff has just not been Jeff this year. And he will mostly like not go pro as feared.

(5) Roy needs to be benched if he is not beasting. The sub in for V-Mack seemed to light a fire under him.




This was simply not an inspiring game, but it was nice for the frosh to get some burn and for our core to get some rest. Hopefully we come and and blitz the Hall. They are going to press us just like Nova did and we better be ready to punish them for it.

Go Hoyas!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/17/AR2007011702202.html